Joseph Winnett 1822-1889 (short history)
This biography was provided by Matthew Winnett, whose great grand parents were Walter and Elizabeth (nee Campbell).
The story of Jane and Joseph Winnett is one of resilience and mutual courage as they made a new life for themselves and their children in Australia.Joseph Winnett was one of thirteen children of Richard and Elinor Winnett of Killaloe, Ireland. He was born in 1822 and married, in 1849. Jane, daughter of James Bowles of Silvermines, Tipperary, Ireland. They sailed for Australia in the "Horizon" in 1857, and after a stint in the goldfields near Clunes, settled in the township and ran a boot and shoe business for thirteen years. Their indomitable will to succeed carried them through many difficulties. They coped with the all too common, loss of infant children, William, Ellen and Sarah Jane. They had seven surviving children, Elizabeth (m Alec Mayberry), Richard Walter, m. (1) Esther Nightingale (2) Mary Jugo; James Joseph (m. Emma Mayberry) Jane Barber m. Robert Oliver Frederick; Ella (did not marry), Walter, (m. Elizabeth Campbell) and Sarah Anne (m. Hiram Outram)
In 1876 they took up a section near Kyahram. In the 1870s there was no Anglican presence in the Wyuna area, so they supported the Methodist church. The book "Kyabram Methodism" by W.H.Bouldtree, describes services in the very earliest days held in the kitchen of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Winnett, with some of those present remaining to share a meal. After Joseph's death in 1889, Jane sold the farm and moved to Union Street, Kyabram, where she lived until she died in 1905. The descendants of their six married children can all be filled with affection and gratitude for the lifelong endeavors of these founders of our families.Joseph Winnett 1822-1889 (long history)
From the 1974 writings of David George Winnett Turvey
Joseph and his family do not exactly fit into the title of Part 1, since he was the adventurer who went off to Australia. Most of the information has been provided by Albert William Winnett, Mrs. Mary Maltby, and Joseph Pederick via Graham S. Winnett.
Joseph was born in Killaloe Ireland to Richard & Ellenor Winnett probably in 1822. His baptism in the cathedral took place on May 26, 1821 or 1822 (it varies in my transcriptions). His father was a butcher, but Joseph evidently learned the shoemaker's trade. He apparently did very well at the trade because he was possessed of considerable property at the time of his marriage to Jane Bowles on Sept. 12, 1849 in Killaloe. A dowry agreement dated the same day, drawn up between Joseph, Jane, and her father James Bowles, has excerpts as follows: ...Joseph Winnett of Mayse in the County of Clare, Farmer... is seized and possessed of a property consisting of three dwelling houses and premises in the Town of Killaloe in the County of Clare as also other property in that locality... The document is signed and sealed by the three parties; unfortunately the seals do not reproduce.
I am mistaken above about his marriage in Killaloe. An "In Memoriam" written by his son James Joseph Winnett shortly after his death states: He was married on the 12th of September 1849 - in Silvermines Church by the Rev. Andrew Armstrong Jones Jane was born in Silvermines, about 10 miles east of Killaloe. Another part of the same document indicates that Joseph was a loyal Orangeman from an early age, though he believed in religious freedom and toleration.
If I may pass to an autobiography of Joseph Pederick and his forefathers, I would like to quote an extensive passage about the Winnetts and Joseph and Jane. The document is a typescript of unknown date, and I have seen to page 114 of Graham Winnett's incomplete copy. After the St. Bartholemews Day massacre many Huguenots fled from the country and were given refuge by the King of England in Southern Ireland. Among those people were our early ancestors of the Winnett family.
It may seem strange today that Protestants fleeing from Catholic persecution in France should migrate to Southern Ireland of all places but the explanation of course is that they were granted asylum by the King of England and a strong Protestant colony was found there in Ireland.
So it was that the Winnett family, staunch Protestants and Orangemen lived in Ireland until the middle of the 19th century.
They were successful business people and land holders and it seems hard to understand what prompted them to leave comparative security and comfort to start life in a new raw land like Australia. The explanation is a curious one. Grandma Winnett (Jane Bowles) had a sister who was widowed very early in life. She later married her deceased husband's brother. In so doing she violated a law of the church and created such a scandal that life became intolerable for them and they migrated to Australia. Apparently they liked the new country and soon persuaded her three sisters, Mrs. Miles, Mrs. Winnett and Miss Bowles to come out too.
To go back to the .Killaloe church.records for a moment, Joseph was confirmed on Sept. 1, 1842, and I have mentioned his baptism previous to that, above. There were also four children registered by baptism: Elizabeth in Oct. 1850, Richard Walter in March 1852, Sarah Jane in May 1854, and Ellen in Feb. 1856. Sarah Jane was buried Nov. 6, 1855, aged 19 months, so she was probably born in April of the previous year.
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| The home of Thomas Beatty and Ella Winnett circa 1860 |
From the History of Toronto and County of York website:
THOMAS BEATTY, retired, was born in New Brunswick in 1825, being the youngest in a family of five sons and two daughters, born to James and Margaret (Potter) Beatty. His father who was a farmer, came out to Canada in 1824; his mother was a native of Glasgow, Scotland. Both his parents returned to Ireland, where they died. Thomas Beatty came to Toronto in 1840, and worked on Jonathan Ashbridge's farm for ten years. He then kept the Commercial Hotel on Jarvis Street for four years, and the Prospect Hotel for fourteen years, after which he retired. In 1865 he married Ella Winnett, by whom he had two sons and three daughters. Mr. Beatty is a generous and consistent member of the Methodist Church. (vol. II, p. 181)
From the writings of Toronto historian, Joanne Doucette
One of the houses (our co-op owns) is 6-8 Cherry Nook Gardens, where Thomas Beatty and Ella Winnett lived. I know the house is older than 1867 because I've seen it on maps going back to the 1850s. I've looked at census records, letters, The Ashbridge Book, etc. and so, when I was living there, I was curious as to the story behind the family that lived there. Jonathan Ashbridge owned the house and sold it to the Beattys. Jonathan was deaf and never married. The Ashbridge family was one of the first families in Toronto and as far as I can tell, this is the first land they severed and sold to someone outside the Ashbridge clan. They must have cared about the Beattys very much. The Methodist Church that they went to was just a stone's throw from the Beatty house. It dates to 1859 and is still there though no longer a church but hidden behind a later factory façade. The church and the Beatty house were both built of bricks made from clay right off the Ashbridge land.
Email (2005) from Susan Miller, great grand daughter of Ella Winnett and Thomas Beatty
Ella was the 9th or 10th child born to Susan Gordon and John Winnett who was born in 1805. Ella was born in 1845 so I surmise that she was the last child born in Ireland. As our family lore maintains that John was a teacher, it makes sense that your document proves this. At least at the tender age of 19, anyway. That does make sense as many teachers back then were hired for their academic ability rather than any training. Very cool! It's also interesting to note how many educators there are in the family. In my branch, children and grandchildren of Raphael Beatty, I know of five. I like to think John would have been proud.
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